Intelligent life in the universe
Sometimes, life seems like a never-ending puzzle, with millions of pieces, ever changing and never completing. The missing pieces of the puzzle only open up the next level of experience, and hardly ever lead to insights into tidbits of truth worth memorising in stone.
Yet, some artefacts made of stone survived millennia to tell us about the human past. Carving stone takes more time, skill and effort than writing a blog entry, yet in comparison to the latter, has proven more reliable to survive the changing tides of human evolution.
Our current civilisation, emerged and shaped by the childhood of humanity, might leave its legacy with the Georgia Guidestones, lots of plastic and radioactivity. The net as living, collective historian of the evolution of mankind might not survive as long as the Sphinx or smaller morsels of information cast in stone.
The collective mind of today seems rather insane - not hopelessly and incurably insane, yet more and more dangerously insane. Human curiosity doesn't stop to ask about its origin, its heritage. The myth provided by the consensual reality of (western) societies might contribute to this collective confusion.
Science currently dominates the myth making game in the Western World, yet the revolutions in scientific thinking of the 20st century haven't been transferred into the common meme pool. Let's shortly wrap the scientific narrative about the origin of man.
About 14 billion years the Big Bang happened, with really strange things happening in the very first few moments (a second or so), until all matter drifted away from each other, shaping stars, planets, galaxies and so on. The chemical elements we know of were created by fusing hydrogene, stars breed all the stuff we see around us. Due to our metabolism every atom in our body will be replaced within about seven years, we are literally made of star dust.
According to contemporary scientific belief, chemical 'life' differs drastically from human life (and I totally agree). However, the clay humans animate, has a long story attached to it, actually an extra-terrestial story. It might blunt Occam's razor a bit to prefer the complex cosmology with Big Bang and all, and disregard God's six day job of creating the universe 6000 years ago, but then, I'm convinced by the evidence presented in favour of this ancient, maybe even rusty universe.
Wikipedia states the age of our planet as four and half billion years, so each and every atom found on this planet had spend already billions of years floating though space before ending up in human bodies, cars, computers and pizza. Earth started off very hot-tempered, a bubbly metal core spew various elements onto a slowly solidifying crust.
During this time, this planet got hit by a large celestial object, and lost some of its mass to give birth to the moon. The continuing volcanic activity build the foundation for an atmosphere, the impact of other objects made of ice most likely contributed to the abundance of water we still enjoy today.
When life started exactly remains unknown, somewhere between 2.5 and 4 billion years ago. It developed in the ocean surrounding Pangaea, the massive single continent that broke up about 250 million years ago. Humans or their ancestors missed out on this super-continent, and made their appearance between 1.5 to 6 million years ago. For at least a million years or so, hairless, upright walking members of human family know how to control fire, inventing their own ways to transform energy.
Homo sapiens sapiens, the name given to the current evolutionary phenotype of time-binding humans, exists for about 200,000 years, according to Wikipedia 'history proper' began about 8000 years ago in the region known as 'Middle East'. My head buzzes with all the numbers, especially when I attempt to bring our 'knowledge' about the universe and mankind into a consistent picture.
We distinguish different species by their genetic outfit, and all humans share a similar DNA structure. Homo sapiens sapiens has shared this planet with other human species, another bit of evidence pointing to evolution as law of nature. The methods to look back into time we have at the moment have limits, as organic material deteriorates usually very fast.
Cultural forms to transmit historical information let us stitch back a sketchy picture of something like the last two millennia, yet merely a couple of hundred years with more reliability and credibility. Although the principle of 'scientific objectivity' never dominated among any documented society, we assume that historic scribes did exactly act like this, and reported 'truthfully' about the events around them.
I tend to believe that signal/noise ratio of 'historical' information goes along a Bell-curve, and any source needs a healthy dose of skepticism. Veracity seems of little importance in mass media reporting, and facts rarely make headlines. The field of history represent rather a story collecting than a fact detecting human endeavour. The diversity of explanations around the events of September 11 2001 typifies the amount of story-telling emerging after an cataclysmic event.
We can hardly claim to know for sure what happened in the last ten years, so speculations about events spanning hundreds or even billions of years back can't be considered as facts. Written history, the way we understand it in 2011, only captures a tiny aspect of the adaptions of evolution the human race experienced so far. Yet any group of people has oral traditions telling about their origins.
Many of these creation myths vanished from memepool, many others survived in different shape and forms. As we 'know' the true story, Big Bang and all, studying those old stories can't provide any more useful parts connecting to the puzzle of human existence. All this talking about Gods obviously indicates a naive, pre-civilised concept of reality.
Yet some facts from the past remain unexplained. Many civilisation mastered technology in ways we can't explain or recreate with today's methods. The pyramids demonstrate amazing engineering skills thousands of years before the advent of the computer, which nowadays assists the construction of awe-inspiring mega-structures.
One explanation given for some marvels of the past includes extraterrestrial visitors. Do aliens exist?
I don't know. Yet many stories about aliens exist, and some of them quite old. A friend made me curious by talking repeatedly about UFOs, and so I went on a quest to find out more. I was told an eyewitness account of a sighting, and had a distant sighting myself some time later, but hadn't bothered investigating this phenomenon in the collective story pool of the WWW.
From a scientific point of view, the existence of life outside our tiny planet has a high probability. Astronomers have begun identifying solar systems with planets, and the sheer number of the billions of galaxies with billions of stars indicate how little we really know about our universe. We love the metaphor of the needle in haystake, yet the needle Gaia hides in the haystake Milkyway, which makes finding life elsewhere tricky.
Contemporary science has little ideas how to explain interplanetary travel, and shows little interest in considering visits from outer space. The level of xenophobia seems rampant in the 21st century, and if someone won't open their heart to an 'alien' member of their own species, they would hardly welcome visitors from other planets.
And when in doubt, ask Hollywood. The majority of movies warns about dangerous aliens, so we better avoid hoping for their arrival. Just like the real existing US empire they will invade this planet mercilessly to destroy infrastructure, rob resources and enslave us. Hmm, sounds like the evil aliens have already won the battle, but let's rewind for a second.
Humanity hardly tipped its toes into the ocean of the Milky Way, so swimming like a dolphin in it to master interplanetary travel requires some advanced technology. Mankind brought much suffering among itself by using technology for military purposes. The childhood of humanity looks cruel, bloody, savage from a conscious point of view. Technology fuelled the game of war, trying to establish fear into the nature of the human race.
Anyway, it's too late to be afraid, it seems like the aliens have already reached us. Unless they control the 33 bloodlines running the economic matrix of this planet, they seem to be friendly. Otherwise, the gap in technology should have seen this planet obliterated easily, according to Buzz Aldrin.
More thoughts on this topic will come. Wouldn't it be a great PR stunt if some UFOs hovered over the royal wedding today? A bigger life audience can hardly be reached soon....
Friday, April 29, 2011
Friday, April 01, 2011
There is no doubt that the engineering of human society is a difficult and complicated problem of tremendous ethical responsibility, for it involves the welfare of mankind throughout an unending succession of generations. The science of Human Engineering can not be built upon false conceptions of human nature. It can not be built on the conception of man as a kind of animal; it can not be built on the conception of man as a mixture of natural and supernatural. It must be built upon the conception of man as being at once natural and higher in dimensionality than the animals. It must be built upon the scientific conception of mankind as characterized by their time-binding capacity and function. This conception radically alters our whole view of human life, human society, and the world.
Portal
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Saturday, February 05, 2011
Diary of despair
While nature demonstrates her unpredictable powers in Australia, politicians show their fondness of Orwellian Newspeak. Australia's government didn't hesitate to speak up for convicted drug smugglers facing the death penalty, yet leaves Julian Assange in the cold.
Human rights apply only to fair-skinned Australians, only as long as they're not suspected to be terrorists. The native population is still treated like cattle under the 'intervention' policy, a mad move from Howard to reinstate Herrenmensch ideals into Australian politics. Countless asylum seekers died while approaching Australian shores, while others live in privately run detention centres that remind me of concentration camps.
In a democracy, laws should apply to everyone equally, anything else reeks of disguised despotism. Gillard insists that Assange's charges "got to be worked through proper process". The process that happens in Europe is unheard of, laws have been bend to hold Assange hostage like it never happened before. In dictatorships, people can be held indefinitely without any evidence. Being friendly, even submissive towards a regime that practices such deliberate ignorance of human rights in several illegal wars and torture camps like Baghram and Guantanamo Bay, Gillard's stance doesn't surprise me.
Wikileaks attempts to hold governments and companies accountable for their actions. I can be arrested and/or fined just for being drunk where I live, yet Mr Brumby gave away public transport, and multiplied the costs for the tax payer to subsidise multinational companies, who basically can't cope with the demand. Several people spend the rest of their lives in high-security prisons (privately run) because ASIO had to produce terror suspects. Australia doesn't have laws for everyone, but special laws for industrial criminals like Pratt, sport stars, politicians, indigenous people, temporary workers, pensioners, etc.
If representants of governments don't want to be held accountable, they cannot call themselves 'public servants'. Germans were obliged to call their chancellor Führer (leader), and Hitler acted as one. Prime Minister is just a role within the political game. This game makes only sense to keep with more transparency and accountability than ever before in history. Nations have lost their prime position in economic terms long ago, nowadays there's hundreds of companies with a higher budget than even some of the most developed nations.
If politicians want to justify their privileges, they need to leave the murky shade of secrecy, and take responsibility. Gillard sides with the international crime network of governments, no fair go given for one of her fellow citizens.
While nature demonstrates her unpredictable powers in Australia, politicians show their fondness of Orwellian Newspeak. Australia's government didn't hesitate to speak up for convicted drug smugglers facing the death penalty, yet leaves Julian Assange in the cold.
Human rights apply only to fair-skinned Australians, only as long as they're not suspected to be terrorists. The native population is still treated like cattle under the 'intervention' policy, a mad move from Howard to reinstate Herrenmensch ideals into Australian politics. Countless asylum seekers died while approaching Australian shores, while others live in privately run detention centres that remind me of concentration camps.
In a democracy, laws should apply to everyone equally, anything else reeks of disguised despotism. Gillard insists that Assange's charges "got to be worked through proper process". The process that happens in Europe is unheard of, laws have been bend to hold Assange hostage like it never happened before. In dictatorships, people can be held indefinitely without any evidence. Being friendly, even submissive towards a regime that practices such deliberate ignorance of human rights in several illegal wars and torture camps like Baghram and Guantanamo Bay, Gillard's stance doesn't surprise me.
Wikileaks attempts to hold governments and companies accountable for their actions. I can be arrested and/or fined just for being drunk where I live, yet Mr Brumby gave away public transport, and multiplied the costs for the tax payer to subsidise multinational companies, who basically can't cope with the demand. Several people spend the rest of their lives in high-security prisons (privately run) because ASIO had to produce terror suspects. Australia doesn't have laws for everyone, but special laws for industrial criminals like Pratt, sport stars, politicians, indigenous people, temporary workers, pensioners, etc.
If representants of governments don't want to be held accountable, they cannot call themselves 'public servants'. Germans were obliged to call their chancellor Führer (leader), and Hitler acted as one. Prime Minister is just a role within the political game. This game makes only sense to keep with more transparency and accountability than ever before in history. Nations have lost their prime position in economic terms long ago, nowadays there's hundreds of companies with a higher budget than even some of the most developed nations.
If politicians want to justify their privileges, they need to leave the murky shade of secrecy, and take responsibility. Gillard sides with the international crime network of governments, no fair go given for one of her fellow citizens.
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
The world as a shopping centre. Get your key resources here:
AFRICA Congo (Kinshasa): Cobalt (Mine and Plant) Gabon: Manganese - Battery grade, natural; battery grade, synthetic; chemical grade; ferro; metallurgical grade Guinea: Bauxite (Mine) South Africa: BAE Land System OMC, Benoni, South Africa Brown David Gear Industries LTD, Benoni, South Africa Bushveld Complex (chromite mine) Ferrochromium Manganese - Battery grade, natural; battery grade, synthetic; chemical grade; ferro; metallurgical grade Palladium Mine and Plant Platinum Mines Rhodium EAST ASIA AND THE PACIFIC Australia: Southern Cross undersea cable landing, Brookvale, Australia Southern Cross undersea cable landing, Sydney, Australia Manganese - Battery grade, natural; battery grade, synthetic; chemical grade; ferro; metallurgical grade Nickel Mines Maybe Faulding Mulgrave Victoria, Australia: Manufacturing facility for Midazolam injection. Mayne Pharma (fill/finish), Melbourne, Australia: Sole suppliers of Crotalid Polyvalent Antivenin (CroFab). China: C2C Cable Network undersea cable landing, Chom Hom Kok, Hong Kong C2C Cable Network undersea cable landing Shanghai, China China-US undersea cable landing, Chongming, China China-US undersea cable landing Shantou, China EAC undersea cable landing Tseung Kwan O, Hong Kong FLAG/REACH North Asia Loop undersea cable landing Tong Fuk, Hong Kong Hydroelectric Dam Turbines and Generators Fluorspar (Mine) Germanium Mine Graphite Mine Rare Earth Minerals/Elements Tin Mine and Plant Tungsten - Mine and Plant Polypropylene Filter Material for N-95 Masks Shanghai Port Guangzhou Port Hong Kong Port Ningbo Port Tianjin Port Fiji: Southern Cross undersea cable landing, Suva, Fiji Indonesia: Tin Mine and Plant Straits of Malacca Japan: C2C Cable Network undersea cable landing, Chikura, Japan C2C Cable Network undersea cable landing, Shima, Japan China-US undersea cable, Okinawa, Japan EAC undersea cable landing Ajigaura, Japan EAC undersea cable landing Shima, Japan FLAG/REACH North Asia Loop undersea cable landing Wada, Japan FLAG/REACH North Asia Loop undersea cable landing Wada, Japan Japan-US undersea cable landing, Maruyama, Japan Japan-US undersea cable landing Kitaibaraki, Japan KJCN undersea cable landing Fukuoka, Japan KJCN undersea cable landing Kita-Kyushu, Japan Pacific Crossing-1 (PC-1) undersea cable landing Ajigaura, Japan Pacific Crossing-1 (PC-1) undersea cable landing Shima, Japan Tyco Transpacific undersea cable landing, Toyohashi, Japan Tyco Transpacific undersea cable landing Emi, Japan Hitachi, Hydroelectric Dam Turbines and Generators Port of Chiba Port of Kobe Port of Nagoya Port of Yokohama Iodine Mine Metal Fabrication Machines Titanium Metal (Processed) Biken, Kanonji City, Japan Hitachi Electrical Power Generators and Components Large AC Generators above 40 MVA Malaysia: Straits of Malacca New Zealand: Southern Cross undersea cable landing, Whenuapai, New Zealand Southern Cross undersea cable landing, Takapuna, New Zealand Philippines: C2C Cable Network undersea cable landing, Batangas, Philippines EAC undersea cable landing Cavite, Philippines Republic of Korea: C2C Cable Network undersea cable landing, Pusan, Republic of Korea. EAC undersea cable landing Shindu-Ri, Republic of Korea FLAG/REACH North Asia Loop undersea cable landing Pusan, Republic of Korea KJCN undersea cable landing Pusan, Republic of Korea Hitachi Large Electric Power Transformers 230 - 500 kV Busan Port Singapore: C2C Cable Network undersea cable landing, Changi, Singapore EAC undersea cable landing Changi North, Singapore Port of Singapore Straits of Malacca Taiwan: C2C Cable Network undersea cable landing, Fangshan, Taiwan C2C Cable Network undersea cable landing, Tanshui, Taiwan China-US undersea cable landing Fangshan, Taiwan EAC undersea cable landing Pa Li, Taiwan FLAG/REACH North Asia Loop undersea cable landing Toucheng, Taiwan Kaohsiung Port EUROPE AND EURASIA Europe (Unspecified): Metal Fabrication Machines: Small number of Turkish companies (Durma, Baykal, Ermaksan) Austria: Baxter AG, Vienna, Austria: Immune Globulin Intravenous (IGIV) Octapharma Pharmazeutika, Vienna, Austria: Immune Globulin Intravenous (IGIV) Azerbaijan: Sangachal Terminal Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline Belarus: Druzhba Oil Pipeline Belgium: Germanium Mine Baxter SA, Lessines, Belgium: Immune Globulin Intravenous (IGIV) Glaxo Smith Kline, Rixensart, Belgium: Acellular Pertussis Vaccine Component GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SA, Wavre, Belgium: Acellular Pertussis Vaccine Component Port of Antwerp Denmark: TAT-14 undersea cable landing, Blaabjerg, Denmark Bavarian Nordic (BN), Hejreskovvej, Kvistgard, Denmark: Smallpox Vaccine Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Bagsvaerd, Denmark: Numerous formulations of insulin Novo Nordisk Insulin Manufacturer: Global insulin supplies Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark: DTaP (including D and T components) pediatric version France: APOLLO undersea cable, Lannion, France FA-1 undersea cable, Plerin, France TAT-14 undersea cable landing St. Valery, France Sanofi-Aventis Insulin Manufacturer: Global insulin supplies Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine finishing Alstrom, Hydroelectric Dam Turbines and Generators Alstrom Electrical Power Generators and Components EMD Pharms Semoy, France: Cyanokit Injection GlaxoSmithKline, Inc. Evreux, France: Influenza neurominidase inhibitor RELENZA (Zanamivir) Diagast, Cedex, France: Olympus (impacts blood typing ability) Genzyme Polyclonals SAS (bulk), Lyon, France: Thymoglobulin Sanofi Pasteur SA, Lyon, France: Rabies virus vaccine Georgia: Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline Germany: TAT-14 undersea cable landing, Nodren, Germany. Atlantic Crossing-1 (AC-1) undersea cable landing Sylt, Germany BASF Ludwigshafen: World's largest integrated chemical complex Siemens Erlangen: Essentially irreplaceable production of key chemicals Siemens, GE, Hydroelectric Dam Turbines and Generators Draeger Safety AG & Co., Luebeck, Germany: Critical to gas detection capability Junghans Fienwerktechnik Schramberg, Germany: Critical to the production of mortars TDW-Gasellschaft Wirksysteme, Schroebenhausen, Germany: Critical to the production of the Patriot Advanced Capability Lethality Enhancement Assembly Siemens, Large Electric Power Transformers 230 - 500 kV Siemens, GE Electrical Power Generators and Components Druzhba Oil Pipeline Sanofi Aventis Frankfurt am Main, Germany: Lantus Injection (insulin) Heyl Chemish-pharmazeutische Fabrik GmbH: Radiogardase (Prussian blue) Hameln Pharmaceuticals, Hameln, Germany: Pentetate Calcium Trisodium (Ca DTPA) and Pentetate Zinc Trisodium (Zn DTPA) for contamination with plutonium, americium, and curium IDT Biologika GmbH, Dessau Rossiau, Germany: BN Small Pox Vaccine. Biotest AG, Dreiech, Germany: Supplier for TANGO (impacts automated blood typing ability) CSL Behring GmbH, Marburg, Germany: Antihemophilic factor/von Willebrand factor Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics GmbH, Marburg, Germany: Rabies virus vaccine Vetter Pharma Fertigung GmbH & Co KG, Ravensburg, Germany (filling): Rho(D) IGIV Port of Hamburg Ireland: Hibernia Atlantic undersea cable landing, Dublin Ireland Genzyme Ireland Ltd. (filling), Waterford, Ireland: Thymoglobulin Italy: Glaxo Smith Kline SpA (fill/finish), Parma, Italy: Digibind (used to treat snake bites) Trans-Med gas pipeline Netherlands: Atlantic Crossing-1 (AC-1) undersea cable landing Beverwijk, Netherlands TAT-14 undersea cable landing, Katwijk, Netherlands Rotterdam Port Norway: Cobalt Nickel Mine Poland: Druzhba Oil Pipeline Russia: Novorossiysk Export Terminal Primorsk Export Terminal. Nadym Gas Pipeline Junction: The most critical gas facility in the world Uranium Nickel Mine: Used in certain types of stainless steel and superalloys Palladium Mine and Plant Rhodium Spain: Strait of Gibraltar Instituto Grifols, SA, Barcelona, Spain: Immune Globulin Intravenous (IGIV) Maghreb-Europe (GME) gas pipeline, Algeria Sweden: Recip AB Sweden: Thyrosafe (potassium iodine) Switzerland: Hoffman-LaRoche, Inc. Basel, Switzerland: Tamiflu (oseltamivir) Berna Biotech, Berne, Switzerland: Typhoid vaccine CSL Behring AG, Berne, Switzerland: Immune Globulin Intravenous (IGIV) Turkey: Metal Fabrication Machines: Small number of Turkish companies (Durma, Baykal, Ermaksan) Bosporus Strait Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline Ukraine: Manganese - Battery grade, natural; battery grade, synthetic; chemical grade; ferro; metallurgical grade United Kingdom: Goonhilly Teleport, Goonhilly Downs, United Kingdom Madley Teleport, Stone Street, Madley, United Kingdom Martelsham Teleport, Ipswich, United Kingdom APOLLO undersea cable landing Bude, Cornwall Station, United Kingdom Atlantic Crossing-1 (AC-1) undersea cable landing Whitesands Bay FA-1 undersea cable landing Skewjack, Cornwall Station Hibernia Atlantic undersea cable landing, Southport, United Kingdom TAT-14 undersea cable landing Bude, Cornwall Station, United Kingdom Tyco Transatlantic undersea cable landing, Highbridge, United Kingdom Tyco Transatlantic undersea cable landing, Pottington, United Kingdom. Yellow/Atlantic Crossing-2 (AC-2) undersea cable landing Bude, United Kingdom Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine finishing BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd., Presont, Lancashire, United Kingdom: Critical to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter BAE Systems Operations Ltd., Southway, Plymouth Devon, United Kingdom: Critical to extended range guided munitions BAE Systems RO Defense, Chorley, United Kingdom: Critical to the Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) AGM-154C (Unitary Variant) MacTaggart Scott, Loanhead, Edinburgh, Lothian, Scotland, United Kingdom: Critical to the Ship Submersible Nuclear (SSN) NEAR/MIDDLE EAST Djibouti: Bab al-Mendeb: Shipping lane is a critical supply chain node Egypt: 'Ayn Sukhnah-SuMEd Receiving Import Terminal 'Sidi Kurayr-SuMed Offloading Export Terminal Suez Canal Iran: Strait of Hormuz Khark (Kharg) Island Sea Island Export Terminal Khark Island T-Jetty Iraq: Al-Basrah Oil Terminal Israel: Rafael Ordnance Systems Division, Haifa, Israel: Critical to Sensor Fused Weapons (SFW), Wind Corrected Munitions Dispensers (WCMD), Tail Kits, and batteries Kuwait: Mina' al Ahmadi Export Terminal Morocco: Strait of Gibraltar Maghreb-Europe (GME) gas pipeline, Morocco Oman: Strait of Hormuz Qatar: Ras Laffan Industrial Center: By 2012 Qatar will be the largest source of imported LNG to U.S. Saudi Arabia: Abqaiq Processing Center: Largest crude oil processing and stabilization plant in the world Al Ju'aymah Export Terminal: Part of the Ras Tanura complex As Saffaniyah Processing Center Qatif Pipeline Junction Ras at Tanaqib Processing Center Ras Tanura Export Terminal Shaybah Central Gas-oil Separation Plant Tunisia: Trans-Med Gas Pipeline United Arab Emirates (UAE): Das Island Export Terminal Jabal Zannah Export Terminal Strait of Hormuz Yemen: Bab al-Mendeb: Shipping lane is a critical supply chain node SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Kazakhstan: Ferrochromium Khromtau Complex, Kempersai, (Chromite Mine) India: Orissa (chromite mines) and Karnataka (chromite mines) Generamedix Gujurat, India: Chemotherapy agents, including florouracil and methotrexate WESTERN HEMISPHERE Argentina: Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine finishing Bermuda: GlobeNet (formerly Bermuda US-1 (BUS-1) undersea cable landing Devonshire, Bermuda Brazil: Americas-II undersea cable landing Fortaleza, Brazil GlobeNet undersea cable landing Fortaleza, Brazil GlobeNet undersea cable landing Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Iron Ore from RIO TINTO Mine Manganese - Battery grade, natural; battery grade, synthetic; chemical grade; ferro; metallurgical grade Niobium (Columbium), Araxa, Minas Gerais State (mine) Ouvidor and Catalao I, Goias State: Niobium Chile: Iodine Mine Canada: Hibernia Atlantic undersea cable landing Halifax , Nova Scotia, Canada James Bay Power Project, Quebec: monumental hydroelectric power development Mica Dam, British Columbia: Failure would impact the Columbia River Basin. Hydro Quebec, Quebec: Critical irreplaceable source of power to portions of Northeast U. S. Robert Moses/Robert H. Saunders Power, Ontario: Part of the St. Lawrence Power Project, between Barnhart Island, New York, and Cornwall, Ontario Seven Mile Dam, British Columbia: Concrete gravity dam between two other hydropower dams along the Pend d'Oreille River Pickering Nuclear Power Plant, Ontario, Canada Chalk River Nuclear Facility, Ontario: Largest supplier of medical radioisotopes in the world Hydrofluoric Acid Production Facility, Allied Signal, Amherstburg, Ontario Enbridge Pipeline Alliance Pipeline: Natural gas transmission from Canada Maritime and Northeast Pipeline: Natural gas transmission from Canada Transcanada Gas: Natural gas transmission from Canada Alexandria Bay POE, Ontario: Northern border crossing Ambassador Bridge POE, Ontario: Northern border crossing Blaine POE, British Columbia: Northern border crossing Blaine Washington Rail Crossing, British Columbia Blue Water Bridge POE, Ontario: Northern border crossing Champlain POE, Quebec: Northern border crossing CPR Tunnel Rail Crossing, Ontario (Michigan Central Rail Crossing) International Bridge Rail Crossing, Ontario International Railway Bridge Rail Crossing Lewiston-Queenstown POE, Ontario: Northern border crossing Peace Bridge POE, Ontario: Northern border crossing Pembina POE, Manitoba: Northern border crossing North Portal Rail Crossing, Saskatchewan St. Claire Tunnel Rail Crossing, Ontario Waneta Dam, British Columbia: Earthfill/concrete hydropower dam Darlington Nuclear Power Plant, Ontario, Canada. E-ONE Moli Energy, Maple Ridge, Canada: Critical to production of various military application electronics General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada, London Ontario, Canada: Critical to the production of the Stryker/USMC LAV Vehicle Integration Raytheon Systems Canada Ltd. ELCAN Optical Technologies Division, Midland, Ontario, Canada: Critical to the production of the AGM-130 Missile Thales Optronique Canada, Inc., Montreal, Quebec: Critical optical systems for ground combat vehicles Germanium Mine Graphite Mine Iron Ore Mine Nickel Mine Niobec Mine, Quebec, Canada: Niobium Cangene, Winnipeg, Manitoba: Plasma Sanofi Pasteur Ltd., Toronto, Canada: Polio virus vaccine GlaxoSmithKile Biologicals, North America, Quebec, Canada: Pre-pandemic influenza vaccines French Guiana: Americas-II undersea cable landing Cayenne, French Guiana Martinique: Americas-II undersea cable landing Le Lamentin, Martinique Mexico: FLAG/REACH North Asia Loop undersea cable landing Tijuana, Mexico Pan-American Crossing (PAC) undersea cable landing Mazatlan, Mexico Amistad International Dam: On the Rio Grande near Del Rio, Texas and Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila, Mexico Anzalduas Dam: Diversion dam south of Mission, Texas, operated jointly by the U.S. and Mexico for flood control Falcon International Dam: Upstream of Roma, Texas and Miguel Aleman, Tamaulipas, Mexico Retamal Dam: Diversion dam south of Weslaco, Texas, operated jointly by the U.S. and Mexico for flood control GE Hydroelectric Dam Turbines and Generators: Main source for a large portion of larger components Bridge of the Americas: Southern border crossing Brownsville POE: Southern border crossing Calexico East POE: Southern border crossing Columbia Solidarity Bridge: Southern border crossing Kansas City Southern de Mexico (KCSM) Rail Line, (Mexico) Nogales POE: Southern border crossing Laredo Rail Crossing Eagle Pass Rail Crossing Otay Mesa Crossing: Southern border crossing Pharr International Bridge: Southern border crossing World Trade Bridge: Southern border crossing Ysleta Zaragosa Bridge: Southern border crossing Hydrofluoric Acid Production Facility Graphite Mine GE Electrical Power Generators and Components General Electric, Large Electric Power Transformers 230 - 500 kV Netherlands Antilles: Americas-II undersea cable landing Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles. Panama: FLAG/REACH North Asia Loop undersea cable landing Fort Amador, Panama Panama Canal Peru: Tin Mine and Plant Trinidad and Tobago: Americas-II undersea cable landing Port of Spain Atlantic LNG: Provides 70% of U.S. natural gas import needs Venezuela: Americas-II undersea cable landing Camuri, Venezuela GlobeNet undersea cable landing, Punta Gorda, Venezuela GlobeNet undersea cable landing Catia La Mar, Venezuela GlobeNet undersea cable landing Manonga, Venezuela [END TEXT OF LIST]
AFRICA Congo (Kinshasa): Cobalt (Mine and Plant) Gabon: Manganese - Battery grade, natural; battery grade, synthetic; chemical grade; ferro; metallurgical grade Guinea: Bauxite (Mine) South Africa: BAE Land System OMC, Benoni, South Africa Brown David Gear Industries LTD, Benoni, South Africa Bushveld Complex (chromite mine) Ferrochromium Manganese - Battery grade, natural; battery grade, synthetic; chemical grade; ferro; metallurgical grade Palladium Mine and Plant Platinum Mines Rhodium EAST ASIA AND THE PACIFIC Australia: Southern Cross undersea cable landing, Brookvale, Australia Southern Cross undersea cable landing, Sydney, Australia Manganese - Battery grade, natural; battery grade, synthetic; chemical grade; ferro; metallurgical grade Nickel Mines Maybe Faulding Mulgrave Victoria, Australia: Manufacturing facility for Midazolam injection. Mayne Pharma (fill/finish), Melbourne, Australia: Sole suppliers of Crotalid Polyvalent Antivenin (CroFab). China: C2C Cable Network undersea cable landing, Chom Hom Kok, Hong Kong C2C Cable Network undersea cable landing Shanghai, China China-US undersea cable landing, Chongming, China China-US undersea cable landing Shantou, China EAC undersea cable landing Tseung Kwan O, Hong Kong FLAG/REACH North Asia Loop undersea cable landing Tong Fuk, Hong Kong Hydroelectric Dam Turbines and Generators Fluorspar (Mine) Germanium Mine Graphite Mine Rare Earth Minerals/Elements Tin Mine and Plant Tungsten - Mine and Plant Polypropylene Filter Material for N-95 Masks Shanghai Port Guangzhou Port Hong Kong Port Ningbo Port Tianjin Port Fiji: Southern Cross undersea cable landing, Suva, Fiji Indonesia: Tin Mine and Plant Straits of Malacca Japan: C2C Cable Network undersea cable landing, Chikura, Japan C2C Cable Network undersea cable landing, Shima, Japan China-US undersea cable, Okinawa, Japan EAC undersea cable landing Ajigaura, Japan EAC undersea cable landing Shima, Japan FLAG/REACH North Asia Loop undersea cable landing Wada, Japan FLAG/REACH North Asia Loop undersea cable landing Wada, Japan Japan-US undersea cable landing, Maruyama, Japan Japan-US undersea cable landing Kitaibaraki, Japan KJCN undersea cable landing Fukuoka, Japan KJCN undersea cable landing Kita-Kyushu, Japan Pacific Crossing-1 (PC-1) undersea cable landing Ajigaura, Japan Pacific Crossing-1 (PC-1) undersea cable landing Shima, Japan Tyco Transpacific undersea cable landing, Toyohashi, Japan Tyco Transpacific undersea cable landing Emi, Japan Hitachi, Hydroelectric Dam Turbines and Generators Port of Chiba Port of Kobe Port of Nagoya Port of Yokohama Iodine Mine Metal Fabrication Machines Titanium Metal (Processed) Biken, Kanonji City, Japan Hitachi Electrical Power Generators and Components Large AC Generators above 40 MVA Malaysia: Straits of Malacca New Zealand: Southern Cross undersea cable landing, Whenuapai, New Zealand Southern Cross undersea cable landing, Takapuna, New Zealand Philippines: C2C Cable Network undersea cable landing, Batangas, Philippines EAC undersea cable landing Cavite, Philippines Republic of Korea: C2C Cable Network undersea cable landing, Pusan, Republic of Korea. EAC undersea cable landing Shindu-Ri, Republic of Korea FLAG/REACH North Asia Loop undersea cable landing Pusan, Republic of Korea KJCN undersea cable landing Pusan, Republic of Korea Hitachi Large Electric Power Transformers 230 - 500 kV Busan Port Singapore: C2C Cable Network undersea cable landing, Changi, Singapore EAC undersea cable landing Changi North, Singapore Port of Singapore Straits of Malacca Taiwan: C2C Cable Network undersea cable landing, Fangshan, Taiwan C2C Cable Network undersea cable landing, Tanshui, Taiwan China-US undersea cable landing Fangshan, Taiwan EAC undersea cable landing Pa Li, Taiwan FLAG/REACH North Asia Loop undersea cable landing Toucheng, Taiwan Kaohsiung Port EUROPE AND EURASIA Europe (Unspecified): Metal Fabrication Machines: Small number of Turkish companies (Durma, Baykal, Ermaksan) Austria: Baxter AG, Vienna, Austria: Immune Globulin Intravenous (IGIV) Octapharma Pharmazeutika, Vienna, Austria: Immune Globulin Intravenous (IGIV) Azerbaijan: Sangachal Terminal Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline Belarus: Druzhba Oil Pipeline Belgium: Germanium Mine Baxter SA, Lessines, Belgium: Immune Globulin Intravenous (IGIV) Glaxo Smith Kline, Rixensart, Belgium: Acellular Pertussis Vaccine Component GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SA, Wavre, Belgium: Acellular Pertussis Vaccine Component Port of Antwerp Denmark: TAT-14 undersea cable landing, Blaabjerg, Denmark Bavarian Nordic (BN), Hejreskovvej, Kvistgard, Denmark: Smallpox Vaccine Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Bagsvaerd, Denmark: Numerous formulations of insulin Novo Nordisk Insulin Manufacturer: Global insulin supplies Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark: DTaP (including D and T components) pediatric version France: APOLLO undersea cable, Lannion, France FA-1 undersea cable, Plerin, France TAT-14 undersea cable landing St. Valery, France Sanofi-Aventis Insulin Manufacturer: Global insulin supplies Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine finishing Alstrom, Hydroelectric Dam Turbines and Generators Alstrom Electrical Power Generators and Components EMD Pharms Semoy, France: Cyanokit Injection GlaxoSmithKline, Inc. Evreux, France: Influenza neurominidase inhibitor RELENZA (Zanamivir) Diagast, Cedex, France: Olympus (impacts blood typing ability) Genzyme Polyclonals SAS (bulk), Lyon, France: Thymoglobulin Sanofi Pasteur SA, Lyon, France: Rabies virus vaccine Georgia: Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline Germany: TAT-14 undersea cable landing, Nodren, Germany. Atlantic Crossing-1 (AC-1) undersea cable landing Sylt, Germany BASF Ludwigshafen: World's largest integrated chemical complex Siemens Erlangen: Essentially irreplaceable production of key chemicals Siemens, GE, Hydroelectric Dam Turbines and Generators Draeger Safety AG & Co., Luebeck, Germany: Critical to gas detection capability Junghans Fienwerktechnik Schramberg, Germany: Critical to the production of mortars TDW-Gasellschaft Wirksysteme, Schroebenhausen, Germany: Critical to the production of the Patriot Advanced Capability Lethality Enhancement Assembly Siemens, Large Electric Power Transformers 230 - 500 kV Siemens, GE Electrical Power Generators and Components Druzhba Oil Pipeline Sanofi Aventis Frankfurt am Main, Germany: Lantus Injection (insulin) Heyl Chemish-pharmazeutische Fabrik GmbH: Radiogardase (Prussian blue) Hameln Pharmaceuticals, Hameln, Germany: Pentetate Calcium Trisodium (Ca DTPA) and Pentetate Zinc Trisodium (Zn DTPA) for contamination with plutonium, americium, and curium IDT Biologika GmbH, Dessau Rossiau, Germany: BN Small Pox Vaccine. Biotest AG, Dreiech, Germany: Supplier for TANGO (impacts automated blood typing ability) CSL Behring GmbH, Marburg, Germany: Antihemophilic factor/von Willebrand factor Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics GmbH, Marburg, Germany: Rabies virus vaccine Vetter Pharma Fertigung GmbH & Co KG, Ravensburg, Germany (filling): Rho(D) IGIV Port of Hamburg Ireland: Hibernia Atlantic undersea cable landing, Dublin Ireland Genzyme Ireland Ltd. (filling), Waterford, Ireland: Thymoglobulin Italy: Glaxo Smith Kline SpA (fill/finish), Parma, Italy: Digibind (used to treat snake bites) Trans-Med gas pipeline Netherlands: Atlantic Crossing-1 (AC-1) undersea cable landing Beverwijk, Netherlands TAT-14 undersea cable landing, Katwijk, Netherlands Rotterdam Port Norway: Cobalt Nickel Mine Poland: Druzhba Oil Pipeline Russia: Novorossiysk Export Terminal Primorsk Export Terminal. Nadym Gas Pipeline Junction: The most critical gas facility in the world Uranium Nickel Mine: Used in certain types of stainless steel and superalloys Palladium Mine and Plant Rhodium Spain: Strait of Gibraltar Instituto Grifols, SA, Barcelona, Spain: Immune Globulin Intravenous (IGIV) Maghreb-Europe (GME) gas pipeline, Algeria Sweden: Recip AB Sweden: Thyrosafe (potassium iodine) Switzerland: Hoffman-LaRoche, Inc. Basel, Switzerland: Tamiflu (oseltamivir) Berna Biotech, Berne, Switzerland: Typhoid vaccine CSL Behring AG, Berne, Switzerland: Immune Globulin Intravenous (IGIV) Turkey: Metal Fabrication Machines: Small number of Turkish companies (Durma, Baykal, Ermaksan) Bosporus Strait Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline Ukraine: Manganese - Battery grade, natural; battery grade, synthetic; chemical grade; ferro; metallurgical grade United Kingdom: Goonhilly Teleport, Goonhilly Downs, United Kingdom Madley Teleport, Stone Street, Madley, United Kingdom Martelsham Teleport, Ipswich, United Kingdom APOLLO undersea cable landing Bude, Cornwall Station, United Kingdom Atlantic Crossing-1 (AC-1) undersea cable landing Whitesands Bay FA-1 undersea cable landing Skewjack, Cornwall Station Hibernia Atlantic undersea cable landing, Southport, United Kingdom TAT-14 undersea cable landing Bude, Cornwall Station, United Kingdom Tyco Transatlantic undersea cable landing, Highbridge, United Kingdom Tyco Transatlantic undersea cable landing, Pottington, United Kingdom. Yellow/Atlantic Crossing-2 (AC-2) undersea cable landing Bude, United Kingdom Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine finishing BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd., Presont, Lancashire, United Kingdom: Critical to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter BAE Systems Operations Ltd., Southway, Plymouth Devon, United Kingdom: Critical to extended range guided munitions BAE Systems RO Defense, Chorley, United Kingdom: Critical to the Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) AGM-154C (Unitary Variant) MacTaggart Scott, Loanhead, Edinburgh, Lothian, Scotland, United Kingdom: Critical to the Ship Submersible Nuclear (SSN) NEAR/MIDDLE EAST Djibouti: Bab al-Mendeb: Shipping lane is a critical supply chain node Egypt: 'Ayn Sukhnah-SuMEd Receiving Import Terminal 'Sidi Kurayr-SuMed Offloading Export Terminal Suez Canal Iran: Strait of Hormuz Khark (Kharg) Island Sea Island Export Terminal Khark Island T-Jetty Iraq: Al-Basrah Oil Terminal Israel: Rafael Ordnance Systems Division, Haifa, Israel: Critical to Sensor Fused Weapons (SFW), Wind Corrected Munitions Dispensers (WCMD), Tail Kits, and batteries Kuwait: Mina' al Ahmadi Export Terminal Morocco: Strait of Gibraltar Maghreb-Europe (GME) gas pipeline, Morocco Oman: Strait of Hormuz Qatar: Ras Laffan Industrial Center: By 2012 Qatar will be the largest source of imported LNG to U.S. Saudi Arabia: Abqaiq Processing Center: Largest crude oil processing and stabilization plant in the world Al Ju'aymah Export Terminal: Part of the Ras Tanura complex As Saffaniyah Processing Center Qatif Pipeline Junction Ras at Tanaqib Processing Center Ras Tanura Export Terminal Shaybah Central Gas-oil Separation Plant Tunisia: Trans-Med Gas Pipeline United Arab Emirates (UAE): Das Island Export Terminal Jabal Zannah Export Terminal Strait of Hormuz Yemen: Bab al-Mendeb: Shipping lane is a critical supply chain node SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Kazakhstan: Ferrochromium Khromtau Complex, Kempersai, (Chromite Mine) India: Orissa (chromite mines) and Karnataka (chromite mines) Generamedix Gujurat, India: Chemotherapy agents, including florouracil and methotrexate WESTERN HEMISPHERE Argentina: Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine finishing Bermuda: GlobeNet (formerly Bermuda US-1 (BUS-1) undersea cable landing Devonshire, Bermuda Brazil: Americas-II undersea cable landing Fortaleza, Brazil GlobeNet undersea cable landing Fortaleza, Brazil GlobeNet undersea cable landing Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Iron Ore from RIO TINTO Mine Manganese - Battery grade, natural; battery grade, synthetic; chemical grade; ferro; metallurgical grade Niobium (Columbium), Araxa, Minas Gerais State (mine) Ouvidor and Catalao I, Goias State: Niobium Chile: Iodine Mine Canada: Hibernia Atlantic undersea cable landing Halifax , Nova Scotia, Canada James Bay Power Project, Quebec: monumental hydroelectric power development Mica Dam, British Columbia: Failure would impact the Columbia River Basin. Hydro Quebec, Quebec: Critical irreplaceable source of power to portions of Northeast U. S. Robert Moses/Robert H. Saunders Power, Ontario: Part of the St. Lawrence Power Project, between Barnhart Island, New York, and Cornwall, Ontario Seven Mile Dam, British Columbia: Concrete gravity dam between two other hydropower dams along the Pend d'Oreille River Pickering Nuclear Power Plant, Ontario, Canada Chalk River Nuclear Facility, Ontario: Largest supplier of medical radioisotopes in the world Hydrofluoric Acid Production Facility, Allied Signal, Amherstburg, Ontario Enbridge Pipeline Alliance Pipeline: Natural gas transmission from Canada Maritime and Northeast Pipeline: Natural gas transmission from Canada Transcanada Gas: Natural gas transmission from Canada Alexandria Bay POE, Ontario: Northern border crossing Ambassador Bridge POE, Ontario: Northern border crossing Blaine POE, British Columbia: Northern border crossing Blaine Washington Rail Crossing, British Columbia Blue Water Bridge POE, Ontario: Northern border crossing Champlain POE, Quebec: Northern border crossing CPR Tunnel Rail Crossing, Ontario (Michigan Central Rail Crossing) International Bridge Rail Crossing, Ontario International Railway Bridge Rail Crossing Lewiston-Queenstown POE, Ontario: Northern border crossing Peace Bridge POE, Ontario: Northern border crossing Pembina POE, Manitoba: Northern border crossing North Portal Rail Crossing, Saskatchewan St. Claire Tunnel Rail Crossing, Ontario Waneta Dam, British Columbia: Earthfill/concrete hydropower dam Darlington Nuclear Power Plant, Ontario, Canada. E-ONE Moli Energy, Maple Ridge, Canada: Critical to production of various military application electronics General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada, London Ontario, Canada: Critical to the production of the Stryker/USMC LAV Vehicle Integration Raytheon Systems Canada Ltd. ELCAN Optical Technologies Division, Midland, Ontario, Canada: Critical to the production of the AGM-130 Missile Thales Optronique Canada, Inc., Montreal, Quebec: Critical optical systems for ground combat vehicles Germanium Mine Graphite Mine Iron Ore Mine Nickel Mine Niobec Mine, Quebec, Canada: Niobium Cangene, Winnipeg, Manitoba: Plasma Sanofi Pasteur Ltd., Toronto, Canada: Polio virus vaccine GlaxoSmithKile Biologicals, North America, Quebec, Canada: Pre-pandemic influenza vaccines French Guiana: Americas-II undersea cable landing Cayenne, French Guiana Martinique: Americas-II undersea cable landing Le Lamentin, Martinique Mexico: FLAG/REACH North Asia Loop undersea cable landing Tijuana, Mexico Pan-American Crossing (PAC) undersea cable landing Mazatlan, Mexico Amistad International Dam: On the Rio Grande near Del Rio, Texas and Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila, Mexico Anzalduas Dam: Diversion dam south of Mission, Texas, operated jointly by the U.S. and Mexico for flood control Falcon International Dam: Upstream of Roma, Texas and Miguel Aleman, Tamaulipas, Mexico Retamal Dam: Diversion dam south of Weslaco, Texas, operated jointly by the U.S. and Mexico for flood control GE Hydroelectric Dam Turbines and Generators: Main source for a large portion of larger components Bridge of the Americas: Southern border crossing Brownsville POE: Southern border crossing Calexico East POE: Southern border crossing Columbia Solidarity Bridge: Southern border crossing Kansas City Southern de Mexico (KCSM) Rail Line, (Mexico) Nogales POE: Southern border crossing Laredo Rail Crossing Eagle Pass Rail Crossing Otay Mesa Crossing: Southern border crossing Pharr International Bridge: Southern border crossing World Trade Bridge: Southern border crossing Ysleta Zaragosa Bridge: Southern border crossing Hydrofluoric Acid Production Facility Graphite Mine GE Electrical Power Generators and Components General Electric, Large Electric Power Transformers 230 - 500 kV Netherlands Antilles: Americas-II undersea cable landing Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles. Panama: FLAG/REACH North Asia Loop undersea cable landing Fort Amador, Panama Panama Canal Peru: Tin Mine and Plant Trinidad and Tobago: Americas-II undersea cable landing Port of Spain Atlantic LNG: Provides 70% of U.S. natural gas import needs Venezuela: Americas-II undersea cable landing Camuri, Venezuela GlobeNet undersea cable landing, Punta Gorda, Venezuela GlobeNet undersea cable landing Catia La Mar, Venezuela GlobeNet undersea cable landing Manonga, Venezuela [END TEXT OF LIST]
Saturday, January 08, 2011
A zen student once asked his teacher Ikkyu, a fifteenth century Zen master, to sum up the highest wisdom. The master responded to this enormous question with a single word scratched in the sand: "Attention."
The student wasn't satisfied and asked him to elaborate. Ikkyu wrote: "Attention. Attention. Attention."
Friday, January 07, 2011
Official insanity
Intelligence agencies, or secret services, exist for much longer than any known nation on this planet. Having 'inside information' about a competitor makes business easier, but not necessarily fairer. The origin as proactive business insurance has been forgotten a bit, nowadays catch-all phrase 'national security' suggests a useful service provided by democratically uncontrollable 'intelligence agencies'.
History tells some vicious stories about how governments used their secret armies. In countries hated, or conquered in war, the status as force of evil of intelligence agencies is hardly denied: Gestapo, Stasi or KGB serve as examples how governments used secret services against their own population. Of course, only 'bad' nations have 'evil' secret services, and per definition, your own country cannot be bad.
Nobody with a sane mind derives a feeling of national pride from the knowledge that their country systematically commits crimes against humanity. When Australia got told off by the United Nations for their treatment of the native people in this nation, propaganda turned this crime into a virtue. Only Nazi Germany, and the Khmer Rouge committed genocide, the 'White Australia' policy, which survived as national attitude, and about two centuries of randomly killing indigenous people are blissfully ignored.
Australia's intelligence agencies have more legal rights than the Gestapo ever had. That doesn't mean that their agents act like Mini-Hitlers all the time, it just means that if they do, they get away with it. Legally. The veil of 'national security' hides the systematic waste of tax-payer's money to subvert individual freedoms, millions are currently wasted on the witch hunt for terrorists.
The stupidity and paranoia in the offices of intelligence agencies becomes more obvious, as we no longer rely solely on governmental propaganda, but can gather information ourself, and 'connect the dots'. The latest fear-making meme is about China's increase in military spending, which ostensibly threatens the 'regional stability'.
Let's do the uncommon thing and have a rational look at this fear-mongering message. China has publicly announced in 2006 to spend about half of its actual expenditure. While $45 billion were mentioned, they spend about $90 billion. Will they start conquering the region now?
According to Wolfram Alpha, China spend less than $9 per head on the military, while each Australian pays in average nearly $900 per head for 'military protection'. If we consider China's numbers are manipulated, Australia still spend in relation 50 times more than China for its destructive forces. So who is threatening regional stability?
I admit, using facts in a political discussion seems utterly unfair. By putting numbers next to some of the inane rants of politicos and 'security experts' makes the propaganda visible. Let's just take the wars of the 21st century as example. Only so-called democracies dared to invade other countries, so a 'totalitarian' state like China is statistically unlikely as an aggressor.
Invasions are an economic nightmare for the nations involved, yet a gold mine for war profiteers. The cost of living exploded for the local survivors, yet survival became much more of an uncertainty through the random violence that accompanies any war. While the stocks and profits of the war-mongering industry soar, especially in the US, national debt is at an all-time high.
Of course, we can ignore the lessons from history that saw many 'great' nations crumble because of war expenses, and blame the US deficit budget on other factors. The jobs saved in the killing industry are nothing than a flimsy bandage on the pierced jugular of a nation. Profits have no national pride.
China's ambition to control Tibet and Taiwan belong to old news, yet the politicians of this planet happily rubbed shoulders with China during the Olympic Games. So complaining about China's increase in military spending could as well mean a chance for business. For one thing, this could be a call to increase advertising military equipment to China, and also a simple reminder to blow up Australia's vast military budget even more beyond any reason.
The world has changed, as well as political constellations. China cannot simply repeat the British strategy that founded Australia - conquer a continent and eradicate the local population. To arm against this possibility just shows the level of insanity that pervades the idea of 'national security'.
For any democracy it's much cheaper to have a 24/7 surveillance of all political representatives, instead of treating all citizens like potential terrorists. The 'intelligence' gathered by secret services constitutes an utter waste of money. This doesn't bother politicos too much, as they profit as well from the insanity they sprout.
Government act always in self-interest. Unfortunately, there's hardly any match between a government's self-interest and the interest of the population. As long as 'intelligence agencies' are taken for granted, democracy can't emerge.
Intelligence agencies, or secret services, exist for much longer than any known nation on this planet. Having 'inside information' about a competitor makes business easier, but not necessarily fairer. The origin as proactive business insurance has been forgotten a bit, nowadays catch-all phrase 'national security' suggests a useful service provided by democratically uncontrollable 'intelligence agencies'.
History tells some vicious stories about how governments used their secret armies. In countries hated, or conquered in war, the status as force of evil of intelligence agencies is hardly denied: Gestapo, Stasi or KGB serve as examples how governments used secret services against their own population. Of course, only 'bad' nations have 'evil' secret services, and per definition, your own country cannot be bad.
Nobody with a sane mind derives a feeling of national pride from the knowledge that their country systematically commits crimes against humanity. When Australia got told off by the United Nations for their treatment of the native people in this nation, propaganda turned this crime into a virtue. Only Nazi Germany, and the Khmer Rouge committed genocide, the 'White Australia' policy, which survived as national attitude, and about two centuries of randomly killing indigenous people are blissfully ignored.
Australia's intelligence agencies have more legal rights than the Gestapo ever had. That doesn't mean that their agents act like Mini-Hitlers all the time, it just means that if they do, they get away with it. Legally. The veil of 'national security' hides the systematic waste of tax-payer's money to subvert individual freedoms, millions are currently wasted on the witch hunt for terrorists.
The stupidity and paranoia in the offices of intelligence agencies becomes more obvious, as we no longer rely solely on governmental propaganda, but can gather information ourself, and 'connect the dots'. The latest fear-making meme is about China's increase in military spending, which ostensibly threatens the 'regional stability'.
Let's do the uncommon thing and have a rational look at this fear-mongering message. China has publicly announced in 2006 to spend about half of its actual expenditure. While $45 billion were mentioned, they spend about $90 billion. Will they start conquering the region now?
According to Wolfram Alpha, China spend less than $9 per head on the military, while each Australian pays in average nearly $900 per head for 'military protection'. If we consider China's numbers are manipulated, Australia still spend in relation 50 times more than China for its destructive forces. So who is threatening regional stability?
I admit, using facts in a political discussion seems utterly unfair. By putting numbers next to some of the inane rants of politicos and 'security experts' makes the propaganda visible. Let's just take the wars of the 21st century as example. Only so-called democracies dared to invade other countries, so a 'totalitarian' state like China is statistically unlikely as an aggressor.
Invasions are an economic nightmare for the nations involved, yet a gold mine for war profiteers. The cost of living exploded for the local survivors, yet survival became much more of an uncertainty through the random violence that accompanies any war. While the stocks and profits of the war-mongering industry soar, especially in the US, national debt is at an all-time high.
Of course, we can ignore the lessons from history that saw many 'great' nations crumble because of war expenses, and blame the US deficit budget on other factors. The jobs saved in the killing industry are nothing than a flimsy bandage on the pierced jugular of a nation. Profits have no national pride.
China's ambition to control Tibet and Taiwan belong to old news, yet the politicians of this planet happily rubbed shoulders with China during the Olympic Games. So complaining about China's increase in military spending could as well mean a chance for business. For one thing, this could be a call to increase advertising military equipment to China, and also a simple reminder to blow up Australia's vast military budget even more beyond any reason.
The world has changed, as well as political constellations. China cannot simply repeat the British strategy that founded Australia - conquer a continent and eradicate the local population. To arm against this possibility just shows the level of insanity that pervades the idea of 'national security'.
For any democracy it's much cheaper to have a 24/7 surveillance of all political representatives, instead of treating all citizens like potential terrorists. The 'intelligence' gathered by secret services constitutes an utter waste of money. This doesn't bother politicos too much, as they profit as well from the insanity they sprout.
Government act always in self-interest. Unfortunately, there's hardly any match between a government's self-interest and the interest of the population. As long as 'intelligence agencies' are taken for granted, democracy can't emerge.
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Friday, December 31, 2010
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Public Domain
In ancient times, when most people hardly knew anything about the existence of other people, or the limits of our planetary confinement, or the space-time rules seemingly governing the movements of planets and stars, they considered most likely everything 'public domain'.
The capitalist concept of 'property' turned out as a successful meme, although with a very long incubation period. Humanity installed many systems to maintain injustices based on the meme of property, and only few to protect the public domain.
In a tribe, there's little space for private property. Still, everyone within a tribe owns something, which makes them unique and individual. 'To make something your own' seems like a common human desire, and this includes skills and knowledge as well as material goods.
Pre-civilised societies steal the resources they need, unaware of the limited space our planet offers. Trading resources and knowledge creates a win-win situation for the involved societies, and unlike the violent option of war, and shares the benefits of the accompanying technological progress. Our resources might be limited, but our inventiveness brought an increase in common wealth in many periods of history.
For a long time, we could only rely on our gut feeling to determine whether a war was truly just or just another commercial enterprise. From a humanitarian perspective in the 21st century, war has proven an irrational choice to improve the situation of the majority of people involved. No government acts in the interest of its people if it leads them into a bloody-thirsty money-making scheme like the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and redirects tax-payers money into the greedy fingers of the military industrial complex.
War has shifted its meaning since George Orwell wrote the quote I began with. It became the Orwellian monster, an endless war against invisible enemies, brought to life by government propaganda. Like in 1984, everyone's life get influenced by the growing paranoia of governments about 'terrorists'. We don't identify the terrorists in suits on our TV screen spreading distrust and lies, and the spin becomes common knowledge, or rather COWDUNG (common wisdom of the dominating group).
The latest victim of the terror campaign originating mainly, but not exclusively, from the US is Julian Assange. He represents a project to bring transparency into politics. The Wikileaks publications confirm the lack of responsibility within the leadership of 'democratic' (and less democratic) governments many people have suspected to exist.
The discussion about Assange and Wikileaks polarises positions, like so many public interest topics. You can find the 'us vs them' meme many times, yet this time the frontline is drawn in new ways. It's governed against government, an act of self-defence against arbitrary, intransparent, uncontrollable and unaccountable government.
The people only want what they have been promised to pay for by their taxes: Civil servants that act in their interest. We have many so-called democracies on this planet, yet the people of this planet still unite behind the idea of transparent government. After 911, 77 and the Asian tsunami, civil liberty has become a global media talking point.
In a way, it seems a bit like David and Goliath - Julian Assange against the bureaucracies and politicians of some of the world's most 'powerful' nations. Yet Assange has only founded Wikileaks, and now puts his head on the block for it. Those calling him a 'hi-tech terrorist' unveil themselves as terrorists, fighting against democracy and freedom of expression.
Justice belongs to the global set of ethical standards, independent of the culture. Humans intuitively notice if a potential win-win situation turns into one where into one with unequal, unfair outcome. This prevented the introduction of abusive governing structures for some ten thousands of years, yet lately we entered again into a phase of human history where cruel governments dominate.
Democracy seems a uniting meme, yet the attempts to implement democracies were deeply flawed as of now. Elections neither prevented Hitler, Stalin nor Saddam. In times of global communication, travel, and trade the argument of 'national security' does not make any sense anymore. Governments have been the biggest threat to human life in the last few hundreds years, and Wikileaks confirms that this attitude prevails into contemporary times.
I'm just not paranoid enough to feel good that my taxes pay for death and torture in places I might never visit. I don't conceive government as a force of nature, but a man-made agreement how to live together on a larger scale. Governments shrouded in secrecy did (and still do) many objectionable things, and don't deserve the name 'democracy'.
In a country where parents have to subsidise the 'free' public education system, without free public health system, and growing poverty any cent spend on military adventures is wasted. In a democracy, information about how elected governments act and spend our money belongs to the public domain. Listen to the voices condemning Assange, and decide for yourself whether their interests really apply to you.
War is peace,
slavery is freedom,
ignorance is bliss.
In ancient times, when most people hardly knew anything about the existence of other people, or the limits of our planetary confinement, or the space-time rules seemingly governing the movements of planets and stars, they considered most likely everything 'public domain'.
The capitalist concept of 'property' turned out as a successful meme, although with a very long incubation period. Humanity installed many systems to maintain injustices based on the meme of property, and only few to protect the public domain.
In a tribe, there's little space for private property. Still, everyone within a tribe owns something, which makes them unique and individual. 'To make something your own' seems like a common human desire, and this includes skills and knowledge as well as material goods.
Pre-civilised societies steal the resources they need, unaware of the limited space our planet offers. Trading resources and knowledge creates a win-win situation for the involved societies, and unlike the violent option of war, and shares the benefits of the accompanying technological progress. Our resources might be limited, but our inventiveness brought an increase in common wealth in many periods of history.
For a long time, we could only rely on our gut feeling to determine whether a war was truly just or just another commercial enterprise. From a humanitarian perspective in the 21st century, war has proven an irrational choice to improve the situation of the majority of people involved. No government acts in the interest of its people if it leads them into a bloody-thirsty money-making scheme like the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and redirects tax-payers money into the greedy fingers of the military industrial complex.
War has shifted its meaning since George Orwell wrote the quote I began with. It became the Orwellian monster, an endless war against invisible enemies, brought to life by government propaganda. Like in 1984, everyone's life get influenced by the growing paranoia of governments about 'terrorists'. We don't identify the terrorists in suits on our TV screen spreading distrust and lies, and the spin becomes common knowledge, or rather COWDUNG (common wisdom of the dominating group).
The latest victim of the terror campaign originating mainly, but not exclusively, from the US is Julian Assange. He represents a project to bring transparency into politics. The Wikileaks publications confirm the lack of responsibility within the leadership of 'democratic' (and less democratic) governments many people have suspected to exist.
The discussion about Assange and Wikileaks polarises positions, like so many public interest topics. You can find the 'us vs them' meme many times, yet this time the frontline is drawn in new ways. It's governed against government, an act of self-defence against arbitrary, intransparent, uncontrollable and unaccountable government.
The people only want what they have been promised to pay for by their taxes: Civil servants that act in their interest. We have many so-called democracies on this planet, yet the people of this planet still unite behind the idea of transparent government. After 911, 77 and the Asian tsunami, civil liberty has become a global media talking point.
In a way, it seems a bit like David and Goliath - Julian Assange against the bureaucracies and politicians of some of the world's most 'powerful' nations. Yet Assange has only founded Wikileaks, and now puts his head on the block for it. Those calling him a 'hi-tech terrorist' unveil themselves as terrorists, fighting against democracy and freedom of expression.
Justice belongs to the global set of ethical standards, independent of the culture. Humans intuitively notice if a potential win-win situation turns into one where into one with unequal, unfair outcome. This prevented the introduction of abusive governing structures for some ten thousands of years, yet lately we entered again into a phase of human history where cruel governments dominate.
Democracy seems a uniting meme, yet the attempts to implement democracies were deeply flawed as of now. Elections neither prevented Hitler, Stalin nor Saddam. In times of global communication, travel, and trade the argument of 'national security' does not make any sense anymore. Governments have been the biggest threat to human life in the last few hundreds years, and Wikileaks confirms that this attitude prevails into contemporary times.
I'm just not paranoid enough to feel good that my taxes pay for death and torture in places I might never visit. I don't conceive government as a force of nature, but a man-made agreement how to live together on a larger scale. Governments shrouded in secrecy did (and still do) many objectionable things, and don't deserve the name 'democracy'.
In a country where parents have to subsidise the 'free' public education system, without free public health system, and growing poverty any cent spend on military adventures is wasted. In a democracy, information about how elected governments act and spend our money belongs to the public domain. Listen to the voices condemning Assange, and decide for yourself whether their interests really apply to you.
act assange common democracy domain global government history human interest knowledge life meme people period planet public resources seems situation times war wikileaks
created at TagCrowd.com
Friday, December 17, 2010
History in the making
The only thing human beings know for sure is their own history, at least if you follow along the ideas of Giambattista Vico. History needs the luxury of culture, a feature of humanity reinvented in many parts of the planet for millennia. The roots of civilisation date further and further back. Each of them deployed our inventive consciousness to create technological progress and an increase of available resources for their inhabitants.
Until lately, civilisations barely had the means to cooperate on larger scales. Few decided over the fate of many, creating the mess we witness today. Profit-driven wars rage, profit-driven paranoia sells stupid security measures, and thousands starve daily on this planet that can feed every human being. When natural disasters devastated the livelihoods of other people, a global wave of helpers emerge. Statistically, there are much more people willing to help than those who want to harm, society functions only by cooperation.
History does not contain 'facts', merely narratives. September 1st 1939 does not tell us anything about the chains of connections and events that led to the second World War. We can learn about patsies, false-flag operation and propaganda that typically appear as side-effect in preparation for pre-emptive warfare by investigating the memetic structure of the surviving artefacts of any given period of the past. History taught in schools and universities serves only as propaganda to protect the inane power structures governing the majority of people against their best interests.
Now we don't need to watch any BBC documentary about WW2 anymore to understand how governments operate to make money out of war and violence. We can witness the conspiration happening with international diplomacy wikileaking into the public domain. It's no longer a conspiracy that governments conspire behind the back of their citizens, it's happening right here and right now on this very planet.
Democracy can not just base on trust into its representatives. Democracy needs transparency up to the highest levels. Whenever 'secret' documents from the distant past were unveiled, abuses of power became known. Each government comments fast that these wrong-doings are a thing of the past. In the light of wikileaks the continuity of nefarious activities of democratically elected governments becomes obvious. Control of government failed until now, only a truly open government suits democracy.
Wikileaks has provided a glimpse of transparency, so we can experience history in the making. Its founder Julian Assange made himself the target of malevolent governments, and the empire strikes back. Charged with dubios allegations, chased by police throughout Europe, held for a couple of days in isolation, Assange walks in the steps of Rosa Parks.
On a very short term notice, you might want to join the rally in Melbourne today 5:30 pm at the State Library. Let's document history in making from as many perspectives as possible, to prevent state propaganda ruining our minds.
Monday, December 13, 2010
A lot of people, the kind of people that get provided with free air time in the mass media, outed their attitude towards democracy lately. They insist to continue to work in secrecy, like Count Dracula fearing the light of day shining on their actions. Be grateful, earthling, to witness history in the making.
The 21st century started nightmarish with American imperial ambitions, justified by the myth of all-mighty terrorism. Men wearing suits recklessly demolished human rights, erected invisible walls for the meeting of the global suit wearing elite in Sydney, ordered a continuation of the outrageous injustice thrown unto David Hicks, sold the public transport systems in Victoria to multi-national companies, and still treat the indigenous population of Australia as second class citizens, savages to be taken by the hand.
Men in suits bossed the governments of this planet into paying a ransom to bail them out of their losses, produced by irresponsible and reckless gambling with fantasy products. Men in suits want your vote to legitimate action they don't want to tell you. Men in suit now threaten Julian Assange, someone who helped taxpayers finding out how their money is spend behind their backs.
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Evolution and human history
We live in amazing times, and always have. The basic need for food and shelter exists for as long as humans roam this planet. Even in the 'modern' world with all its technological complexity and vast knowledge mankind hasn't conquered this challenge sustainably, not because it cannot be done but because of insanity.
Human memes spread wider and faster than those of any other species known to us. Our story telling ability provides the basis for progress, an evolutionary phenomenon that creates dynamically balanced complex systems. Contemporary science and craft still hasn't been able to recreate technological marvels of the human past, and the ideas of how people lived in previous eras of history often base on sketchy evidence.
As social beings, survival of humanity depended rather on an evolution of group organisation strategies than advancing the bio-physical machinery of individuals. Different environments favoured different strategies of how people live together, cultural exchange added into the mix. One might question the meaning of his/her individual existence, but the group with its customs, rules, traditions and myths seems to make sense, as it seems to last longer than any of its individual members.
When ever more people live together in smaller spaces, when ever urban culture emerges, art and technology advance, yet not in a linear fashion. Complexity of society adds to its vulnerability, especially the way it generates and uses energy. Deforestation killed many cultures, and the current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq secure the US future oil-based energy demands. The lack of sustainability and efficiency of a fossil-fuel economy is known already at least since Buckminster Fuller. Investing the resources in securing a useless mode of operation instead of devising more sustainable solutions appears to me utterly insane.
I can imagine the better-off part of society marvelling about the technological wonders and wondering about the future ahead of them in most times of history. With the need for food and shelter satisfied, story telling becomes the main occupation of humans. Humans devised amazing ways to utilize the resources of their environment, and many ideas spread around the globe.
A progressive society provides change much faster than the seasons that determined the life of many of our ancestors. Travel and communication technology have advanced like never before in known history, yet the structure of the mixed global societies looks similar to those in times of mass self-destruction.
The amount of people that could communicate together found its limits in societal, cultural and foremost spatial barriers. That limits the amount of ideas to choose from, 'best practice' simply meant doing anything in a way that worked somehow. Funny enough, Victoria's desalination plans seems as if the deciders never considered solutions from other parts of the globe, instead they use a strategy that doomed many societies.
The way evolution is taught and commonly portrayed unfortunately rather obscures evolutionary principles than allows us to take a bit more active part in it. It makes a lot of sense to consider developments in technology and society from an evolutionary perspective, and this makes it so much easier to perceive evolution as an ongoing instead of a relatively finished process.
Societies have always organised themselves, yet mostly only a minority within society acted as agents of this process of self-organisation. It doesn't really matter that not all ideas to structure society had something original to them. The diversity of concurrently existing and past societies simply indicated the lack of a 'natural' law about how conscious individuals organise their common affairs. Those indigenous cultures that survived until today lasted for much longer than any specific 'nation' or 'society', and proved thereby that mankind can survive without 'civilisation'. I have a good laugh at the idea that something as virtual and malleable as 'culture' can be deemed 'unchangeable', yet many fundamentalists might get angry about my bout of humour.
The 'us versus them' meme comes with the myth of any nation, and many other gangs of humans. It survived easier and longer than any technological advancement that could provide for the essential human needs. Mankind created technology to extinguish the entire species, and as a trade-off developed amazing life-saving technology.
Evolution seems to favour the 'us and them' idea. No species exists in isolation, only bacteria might happily survive on a purely an-organic diet. Ecology taught us to consider life more from a system perspective, and to study the interaction and interrelation of all species existing in a biotop. Have we cultivated plants and animals, or have these species adapted to us to selfishly spread their own genes around the globe?
Nature doesn't need humans to sustain life, it existed before and will exist after our species' expiry. The special role of humans on this planet, a meme popular with scientists, philosophers, artists and priests alike, has no basis in our current understanding of evolution. Wait, humans can master evolution of non-biological systems, and even their own, but as yet this meme hasn't reached many members of our species.
No society managed to 'stay on the top' throughout history, yet many still try. No strategy to organise society won the 'battle of civilisations'. Many species got extinct, yet the number of evolutionary winners exceeds most peoples imagination. The evolution of ideas about the organisation of society show the same random variety as any experimental setup in the lab of life.
In an era of global travel and communication violent government doesn't make any sense anymore. Simple birth proves the evolutionary right to exist, no matter how hard bureaucracy may try to withdraw the means of survival for unwanted human beings. If everybody would want to live a meaningless and parasitic life like most professional scaremongers do, our planet would run out of resources within a very short amount of time. While violent governments needs individuals who combine greed, gullibility and recklessness, a sane society would rather offer those misguided individuals treatment than permit them to run the show.
Yet the Western World, conditioned to believe in the myth of enlightenment, shows little interest in a sane society. Although having power and acting responsibly are not mutually exclusive, without scrutiny representatives of government have always abused power. Most of the corrupt and irresponsible activity remains hidden under the cloak of 'national security' or 'public private partnership'. Corruption remains a much too successful business meme to undergo moral considerations. Corruption among politicians protects this mechanism from the law and public eye.
The way any society evolved doesn't represent any precipice, at least as far as I know. That doesn't stop politicos maintaining the myth to represent the best of societies by exclusion (claiming other societies offer less), This makes as much sense as saying because kangaroos have conquered Australia, all marsupials should be roos. Understanding that any living system (and I consider memes as living systems as well) evolves together with its environment means embracing diversity instead of enforcing conformity.
Any society defends some of its behaviour rules vigorously, while other behaviours are happily tolerated. It's okay in many western nations to show murderers and killings as part of story telling, yet real dead people are hardly seen. Unlike in Thailand, where graphic images of crime victims embellish the front pages of news papers. All groups of people developed some idiosyncratic ways of dealing with sex and death, deriving many other rules in accordance to this attitude to these essentials of life.
Again, the diversity of rules merely shows evolution in action. Progress seems like a by-product of the evolution of consciousness, and the consequences often favor only a minority of the human species. Yet progress as it manifests today would allow to feed and shelter every human being on this planet, if the splintered global societies wanted to. This doesn't imply some sort of welfare planet at all - yet the global free riders (politicians) like to perpetrate the myth that wealth leads to procrastination and decadence. Indeed, any society with considerable wealth and without control over their leaders ended in catastrophe or revolution. Violent government breeds intolerance, war, terrorism, murder, abuse, addiction and desperation.
Unfortunately, other forms of government hardly make it into the public consciousness as they can easily fall victim to the expansion lust of violent governments. In retrospect, Saddam's Iraq before 1991 looks far more tolerant and secular than the US or Australia today, although dissidents held as political prisoners might survive longer with Western-style torture and imprisonment. Like after WW2, the US simply adapted the inhumane treatment of other people as demonstrated by the evil regime that got replaced. Of course, known wars hardly ever involved non-violent governments. Iraq just serves as example that comparing society standards can yield surprising results, and unveils the hypocrisy of fingerpointing, especially from the US government.
Rebranding war as insanity poses a huge challenge. From a global perspective, war creates losses by its unsustainable nature. Mankind needs protection, but not from our evil neighbours, mankind needs to protect itself from violent governments. Mankind shares one planet, and if mankind is willing to use evolution in its favour towards a more compassionate world it needs to cooperate to create sane forms of government.
Modern history creates the illusion of a relative linear development of mankind. The chaotic co-existence of different approaches of living together seems to scare those who live off collective fears. In the history of evolution diversity proved as advantage, and many forms of life simply vanished. The meme of violent government seems obsolete, yet still irresistible for many. And while it's popular not to expect 'historic' changes within one's lifetime, I have witnessed too many to lose my hope to see a much more just and compassionate planet than we have right now.
We live in amazing times, and always have. The basic need for food and shelter exists for as long as humans roam this planet. Even in the 'modern' world with all its technological complexity and vast knowledge mankind hasn't conquered this challenge sustainably, not because it cannot be done but because of insanity.
Human memes spread wider and faster than those of any other species known to us. Our story telling ability provides the basis for progress, an evolutionary phenomenon that creates dynamically balanced complex systems. Contemporary science and craft still hasn't been able to recreate technological marvels of the human past, and the ideas of how people lived in previous eras of history often base on sketchy evidence.
As social beings, survival of humanity depended rather on an evolution of group organisation strategies than advancing the bio-physical machinery of individuals. Different environments favoured different strategies of how people live together, cultural exchange added into the mix. One might question the meaning of his/her individual existence, but the group with its customs, rules, traditions and myths seems to make sense, as it seems to last longer than any of its individual members.
When ever more people live together in smaller spaces, when ever urban culture emerges, art and technology advance, yet not in a linear fashion. Complexity of society adds to its vulnerability, especially the way it generates and uses energy. Deforestation killed many cultures, and the current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq secure the US future oil-based energy demands. The lack of sustainability and efficiency of a fossil-fuel economy is known already at least since Buckminster Fuller. Investing the resources in securing a useless mode of operation instead of devising more sustainable solutions appears to me utterly insane.
I can imagine the better-off part of society marvelling about the technological wonders and wondering about the future ahead of them in most times of history. With the need for food and shelter satisfied, story telling becomes the main occupation of humans. Humans devised amazing ways to utilize the resources of their environment, and many ideas spread around the globe.
A progressive society provides change much faster than the seasons that determined the life of many of our ancestors. Travel and communication technology have advanced like never before in known history, yet the structure of the mixed global societies looks similar to those in times of mass self-destruction.
The amount of people that could communicate together found its limits in societal, cultural and foremost spatial barriers. That limits the amount of ideas to choose from, 'best practice' simply meant doing anything in a way that worked somehow. Funny enough, Victoria's desalination plans seems as if the deciders never considered solutions from other parts of the globe, instead they use a strategy that doomed many societies.
The way evolution is taught and commonly portrayed unfortunately rather obscures evolutionary principles than allows us to take a bit more active part in it. It makes a lot of sense to consider developments in technology and society from an evolutionary perspective, and this makes it so much easier to perceive evolution as an ongoing instead of a relatively finished process.
Societies have always organised themselves, yet mostly only a minority within society acted as agents of this process of self-organisation. It doesn't really matter that not all ideas to structure society had something original to them. The diversity of concurrently existing and past societies simply indicated the lack of a 'natural' law about how conscious individuals organise their common affairs. Those indigenous cultures that survived until today lasted for much longer than any specific 'nation' or 'society', and proved thereby that mankind can survive without 'civilisation'. I have a good laugh at the idea that something as virtual and malleable as 'culture' can be deemed 'unchangeable', yet many fundamentalists might get angry about my bout of humour.
The 'us versus them' meme comes with the myth of any nation, and many other gangs of humans. It survived easier and longer than any technological advancement that could provide for the essential human needs. Mankind created technology to extinguish the entire species, and as a trade-off developed amazing life-saving technology.
Evolution seems to favour the 'us and them' idea. No species exists in isolation, only bacteria might happily survive on a purely an-organic diet. Ecology taught us to consider life more from a system perspective, and to study the interaction and interrelation of all species existing in a biotop. Have we cultivated plants and animals, or have these species adapted to us to selfishly spread their own genes around the globe?
Nature doesn't need humans to sustain life, it existed before and will exist after our species' expiry. The special role of humans on this planet, a meme popular with scientists, philosophers, artists and priests alike, has no basis in our current understanding of evolution. Wait, humans can master evolution of non-biological systems, and even their own, but as yet this meme hasn't reached many members of our species.
No society managed to 'stay on the top' throughout history, yet many still try. No strategy to organise society won the 'battle of civilisations'. Many species got extinct, yet the number of evolutionary winners exceeds most peoples imagination. The evolution of ideas about the organisation of society show the same random variety as any experimental setup in the lab of life.
In an era of global travel and communication violent government doesn't make any sense anymore. Simple birth proves the evolutionary right to exist, no matter how hard bureaucracy may try to withdraw the means of survival for unwanted human beings. If everybody would want to live a meaningless and parasitic life like most professional scaremongers do, our planet would run out of resources within a very short amount of time. While violent governments needs individuals who combine greed, gullibility and recklessness, a sane society would rather offer those misguided individuals treatment than permit them to run the show.
Yet the Western World, conditioned to believe in the myth of enlightenment, shows little interest in a sane society. Although having power and acting responsibly are not mutually exclusive, without scrutiny representatives of government have always abused power. Most of the corrupt and irresponsible activity remains hidden under the cloak of 'national security' or 'public private partnership'. Corruption remains a much too successful business meme to undergo moral considerations. Corruption among politicians protects this mechanism from the law and public eye.
The way any society evolved doesn't represent any precipice, at least as far as I know. That doesn't stop politicos maintaining the myth to represent the best of societies by exclusion (claiming other societies offer less), This makes as much sense as saying because kangaroos have conquered Australia, all marsupials should be roos. Understanding that any living system (and I consider memes as living systems as well) evolves together with its environment means embracing diversity instead of enforcing conformity.
Any society defends some of its behaviour rules vigorously, while other behaviours are happily tolerated. It's okay in many western nations to show murderers and killings as part of story telling, yet real dead people are hardly seen. Unlike in Thailand, where graphic images of crime victims embellish the front pages of news papers. All groups of people developed some idiosyncratic ways of dealing with sex and death, deriving many other rules in accordance to this attitude to these essentials of life.
Again, the diversity of rules merely shows evolution in action. Progress seems like a by-product of the evolution of consciousness, and the consequences often favor only a minority of the human species. Yet progress as it manifests today would allow to feed and shelter every human being on this planet, if the splintered global societies wanted to. This doesn't imply some sort of welfare planet at all - yet the global free riders (politicians) like to perpetrate the myth that wealth leads to procrastination and decadence. Indeed, any society with considerable wealth and without control over their leaders ended in catastrophe or revolution. Violent government breeds intolerance, war, terrorism, murder, abuse, addiction and desperation.
Unfortunately, other forms of government hardly make it into the public consciousness as they can easily fall victim to the expansion lust of violent governments. In retrospect, Saddam's Iraq before 1991 looks far more tolerant and secular than the US or Australia today, although dissidents held as political prisoners might survive longer with Western-style torture and imprisonment. Like after WW2, the US simply adapted the inhumane treatment of other people as demonstrated by the evil regime that got replaced. Of course, known wars hardly ever involved non-violent governments. Iraq just serves as example that comparing society standards can yield surprising results, and unveils the hypocrisy of fingerpointing, especially from the US government.
Rebranding war as insanity poses a huge challenge. From a global perspective, war creates losses by its unsustainable nature. Mankind needs protection, but not from our evil neighbours, mankind needs to protect itself from violent governments. Mankind shares one planet, and if mankind is willing to use evolution in its favour towards a more compassionate world it needs to cooperate to create sane forms of government.
Modern history creates the illusion of a relative linear development of mankind. The chaotic co-existence of different approaches of living together seems to scare those who live off collective fears. In the history of evolution diversity proved as advantage, and many forms of life simply vanished. The meme of violent government seems obsolete, yet still irresistible for many. And while it's popular not to expect 'historic' changes within one's lifetime, I have witnessed too many to lose my hope to see a much more just and compassionate planet than we have right now.
evolution exist global government history human ideas life live mankind meme myth people planet seems society species survive systems technology together violent war
created at TagCrowd.com
Friday, September 17, 2010
History repeating
In a sad revival of ancient prejudices, "France" and "Italy" started expelling Roma from "their" "territory". The idea of people living a rather nomadic life style in Europe seems to clash with a lot of ideas about government in general. However, the idea of forming a society with its own culture predated the historically modern idea of nations.
Being born in "Germany", I haven't encountered any 'gypsy' camp where I grew up. Not too surprising, as "Germany's" war against others under Hitler targeted Roma and Sinti even before they engaged into the genocide of Jewish people. Depending on the proximity of nation towards acting as a civilised nation, the horrific history of "Germany" under Hitler is reduced to the Jewish genocide. Homophobic countries ignore Hitler's war on homosexuals, others ignore the war on free-thinking artists, the war on handicapped people, the war on communists or the war on "gypies" (Zigeuner).
This simplistic view of the historically accepted times of "German" fascism might contribute to the "French" politicians showing dismay after some EU representative reminded the world publicly about the similarity the "French" governments activity and the Nazi strategy against this people. It became quite common for governments in the 21st century to rather engage in indirect killings than to this dirty job the same way "Germany" did it more than 70 years ago. Australia unilaterally breaches the UN conventions with its policies towards asylum seekers and their native population, France doesn't care to send Roma people into countries which intend to end the journey of this travelling people forever.
So, yes, while the Nazis had killing squads to deal with Sinti and Roma, the "French" don't kill them straight away. The just follow the narrow-minded strategy "Out of sight, out of mind", thereby perverting the ideas behind the United Nations declaration of human rights. However, comparing what "France" is doing to the Roma people right now has much more merits then "French" diplomats want to admit.
The Nazis created acceptance for their violent ways of treating other people as non-humans by targeting easy scapegoats. Without exposure to minority groups, the stories being told about them often originate from sources with an agenda. It requires a large amount of gullibility to believe what Hitler wrote about the Jews in Mein Kampf, to believe anything the "French" government accuses the entire people of Roma of, or to believe anything that "government sources" in the Western World say about "terrorists".
In a world without easy access to global travel and communication making people scared of "others" comes easy. In the 21st century individuals have access to an overwhelming diversity of opinions and facts, and no longer depend on "government" to tell them about right and wrong. Nationalism, the meme that extended empathy from immediate kinship to a larger community, has turned into a fatal disease of society already before this millennium, but developments like the "US" wars on non-befriended owners of valuable resources, or "Israel"'s war on the indigeneous people of the Middle East, or the allegations of some European governments that Roma cause a hike in crime rates demonstrate the popularity of the 'us versus them' meme that aim to prevent the emergence of global empathy.
Life doesn't need humans, yet humans need each other and biodiversity to survive. As humans, we cannot escape the laws of nature, but we can easily can create laws that pave the path of self-destruction. On an individual scale this means substance abuse, domestic violence, suicide and excessive risk tasking. Only larger scale, organisation like nation or multinational corporations can accumulate and use resources in a species endangering way. No invisible hand determines the fate of mankind, rather the combination of an ignorant populace and uncontrolled government.
Each living organism on this planet is an contemporary evolutionary winner, born into an environment that provides more than enough for survival. If there wasn't enough for everyone right here and now, those chosen by arbitrary governments not to deserve life wouldn't exist in first place. Anyone still repeating Adam Smith's mantra "There is not enough for everyone" lacks either intelligence or empathy, which disqualifies them from taking on responsibility for other people's life. However, history shows that no safeguards against stupid or evil leaders has been put in place, and that real existing "democracies" rather function similar to feudalistic societies.
As long as governments use "national security" as an excuse for institutionalised violence, humanity is light years away from justice, and wolfs remain the shepherds of the human race. As long as societies allow their leaders secrecy and special rules, humanity is doomed to repeat history until the extinction of humanity. I haven't lost my optimism yet, not everyone acta as harmful, inconsiderate, unempathic and unconscious as the parasites of society euphemistically called "politicians".
In a sad revival of ancient prejudices, "France" and "Italy" started expelling Roma from "their" "territory". The idea of people living a rather nomadic life style in Europe seems to clash with a lot of ideas about government in general. However, the idea of forming a society with its own culture predated the historically modern idea of nations.
Being born in "Germany", I haven't encountered any 'gypsy' camp where I grew up. Not too surprising, as "Germany's" war against others under Hitler targeted Roma and Sinti even before they engaged into the genocide of Jewish people. Depending on the proximity of nation towards acting as a civilised nation, the horrific history of "Germany" under Hitler is reduced to the Jewish genocide. Homophobic countries ignore Hitler's war on homosexuals, others ignore the war on free-thinking artists, the war on handicapped people, the war on communists or the war on "gypies" (Zigeuner).
This simplistic view of the historically accepted times of "German" fascism might contribute to the "French" politicians showing dismay after some EU representative reminded the world publicly about the similarity the "French" governments activity and the Nazi strategy against this people. It became quite common for governments in the 21st century to rather engage in indirect killings than to this dirty job the same way "Germany" did it more than 70 years ago. Australia unilaterally breaches the UN conventions with its policies towards asylum seekers and their native population, France doesn't care to send Roma people into countries which intend to end the journey of this travelling people forever.
So, yes, while the Nazis had killing squads to deal with Sinti and Roma, the "French" don't kill them straight away. The just follow the narrow-minded strategy "Out of sight, out of mind", thereby perverting the ideas behind the United Nations declaration of human rights. However, comparing what "France" is doing to the Roma people right now has much more merits then "French" diplomats want to admit.
The Nazis created acceptance for their violent ways of treating other people as non-humans by targeting easy scapegoats. Without exposure to minority groups, the stories being told about them often originate from sources with an agenda. It requires a large amount of gullibility to believe what Hitler wrote about the Jews in Mein Kampf, to believe anything the "French" government accuses the entire people of Roma of, or to believe anything that "government sources" in the Western World say about "terrorists".
In a world without easy access to global travel and communication making people scared of "others" comes easy. In the 21st century individuals have access to an overwhelming diversity of opinions and facts, and no longer depend on "government" to tell them about right and wrong. Nationalism, the meme that extended empathy from immediate kinship to a larger community, has turned into a fatal disease of society already before this millennium, but developments like the "US" wars on non-befriended owners of valuable resources, or "Israel"'s war on the indigeneous people of the Middle East, or the allegations of some European governments that Roma cause a hike in crime rates demonstrate the popularity of the 'us versus them' meme that aim to prevent the emergence of global empathy.
Life doesn't need humans, yet humans need each other and biodiversity to survive. As humans, we cannot escape the laws of nature, but we can easily can create laws that pave the path of self-destruction. On an individual scale this means substance abuse, domestic violence, suicide and excessive risk tasking. Only larger scale, organisation like nation or multinational corporations can accumulate and use resources in a species endangering way. No invisible hand determines the fate of mankind, rather the combination of an ignorant populace and uncontrolled government.
Each living organism on this planet is an contemporary evolutionary winner, born into an environment that provides more than enough for survival. If there wasn't enough for everyone right here and now, those chosen by arbitrary governments not to deserve life wouldn't exist in first place. Anyone still repeating Adam Smith's mantra "There is not enough for everyone" lacks either intelligence or empathy, which disqualifies them from taking on responsibility for other people's life. However, history shows that no safeguards against stupid or evil leaders has been put in place, and that real existing "democracies" rather function similar to feudalistic societies.
As long as governments use "national security" as an excuse for institutionalised violence, humanity is light years away from justice, and wolfs remain the shepherds of the human race. As long as societies allow their leaders secrecy and special rules, humanity is doomed to repeat history until the extinction of humanity. I haven't lost my optimism yet, not everyone acta as harmful, inconsiderate, unempathic and unconscious as the parasites of society euphemistically called "politicians".
Saturday, September 11, 2010
A memorial of madness
The mass trauma induced by the events of September 11th 2001 still linger untransformed in the global human consciousness. 3000 people were killed on that day, more than this number died as a consequence of the irresponsible exposure to the toxic aftermath of the collapse of three WTC buildings, more than 4000 American soldiers died since then in Iraq and Afghanistan, and hundred thousands if not millions of civilians in Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen and Afghanistan have been killed.
The global development since that event seems familiar and new at the same time. Utter violence replaced diplomacy, creating a boom for the prison and war industry. A Global Financial Crisis was created to redistribute more tax payers money to subsidise human destruction. Many grass roots movements emerged around the 'truth of 911', and millions of hours of mass media coverage hammered the official narrative into the minds of peripherally interested people.
Although it seems impossible to merge the factoids assumed about this event into a consistent image, and the 'truth about 911' might remain hidden, we could learn a lot about the way we interactively create reality. Diversity of opinion, a hallmark of healthy democracies, contradicts 'Political correctness' for certain topics. 'Believers' of the wrong story can only be lunatics, nothing from their mouths worth a second thought.
Most, if not all, societies use ostracism as punishment for perceived unacceptable deviation from the myth that maintains a society. Besides the senseless destruction of lives in the war zones, many people in the warmongering democracies lost their jobs. What happened to Dr. David Kelly might appear in the files of the muscle of Organised Crime better known as Military Intelligence.
A staggering amount of resources have been destroyed to 'bring freedom and democracy' to some countries, while social systems and civil rights in the war faring countries deteriorated. A great deal of focus of governments in the western world lies on the paranoia about 'terror' to the expense of life supporting principles.
No matter who is responsible for the immediate victims of the events on 911, the US government brought havoc and death to the people of Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and Yemen since 2001. If a nation reacts with a vendetta against their perceived illicit controllers of valuable resources, its behaviour can neither be called rational nor humane nor civilised.
The events on 911 brought suffering to many, yet the insane reaction to this dreadful event initiated a bloody cycle of violence with no end in sight. Violence breeds only more violence, and any reasonable acting agent can learn this truism from history. Yet the structure of government allows just for limited adaption of strategies, as it is based on the idea of the demonstration of strength against 'the others'.
The narratives of our global pop culture show the essence of this principles since Orson Wells' 'War of the world' radio show. No matter how bad the situation in the certain circumstances seem, once the aliens have taken over civil life ends. An experience shared nowadays in many regions of the world, be it Gaza, Iraq, Afghanistan or Pakistan. And a reminder to the citizens of warmongering nations of the 'greater good' in using life-sustaining resources to destroy human life, culture and sources of food and income.
So let's remember 911 as the day that unveiled that existing democracies base on the business model of the military industrial complex, and not on the 'voice of the people'. As long as our planet divides the responsibility for sharing its resources among more than 100 unaccountable 'leaders', violence seems inevitable.
War as solution for negotiation problems seems as modern as blood-letting as one all cure. More of the same leads to fatal consequences. In medicine, the folly of this well meant cure could not remain undetected, in politics paradigms shift very slow. I honour each human life, that's why I favour healing after suffering, not spreading more of the same.
Well intended death and suffering can no longer be hidden under the carpet of national security - history converts from the domain from creating useful narratives by a chosen few to accessing the subjective treasure trough of eye witnesses and opinionated observers on the internet. Monolithic myths of 'official' versions fragment into a kaleidoscope of perspectives to create idiosyncratic approaches to remedy the collective trauma induced by 911.
Violence can not heal, revenge only creates a vicious cycle. Nobody attacked the civilised world on 911, history has yet to see a civilised mankind on this planet. Which might just happen during our very lifetimes.
afghanistan civilised create democracies event global government happen heal history human iraq life military nation pakistan people resources seems suffering violence war world
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Saturday, July 31, 2010
In a real sense all life inter-relates. A network of mutuality catches all human organisms, ties them in a single garment of history. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. I can never stay in this moment until you stay in this moment, and you can never stay in this moment until I stay in this moment. This demonstrates the inter-related structure of reality.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Humans who are alive during the 21st century, 13.7 billion years of evolution after the ‘big bang’, are extraordinarily fortunate. The shift to intentional evolution is one of the most significant evolutionary transitions that can occur on any planet on which life emerges. We have the unique opportunity to contribute to its successful completion on this planet. And if we choose to make this contribution, we will do so consciously—we will be aware that we are contributing intentionally to the successful completion of a pivotal evolutionary event on this planet.
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
max blues
Networks of violence
exist in loud silence
doing their dirty job
fighting for the the top.
Watching people pass by
some upfront, some shy
I wonder if peace has gone
and brutality has finally won.
With more and more oppression
less space is left for compassion,
people act just like machines
and might blame their evil genes.
Yet there's nothing to lose,
once you learn to choose.
Monday, May 31, 2010
SBS jumps on the Anti-Human-Rights bandwagon
SBS secured the exclusive interview rights to an alleged people smuggler who used to live in Indonesia. Insight and SBS World News quote this 'expert' with statements Mr. Howard would happily comment with 'I told you so'.
According to the alleged trafficker, Australia is seen as a 'soft target', with processing done within 3 to 4 months, a road straight to citizenship and freebies galore. As Australia seems to keep the image of a Human Right respecting nation, although they got told off for the intervention, the permanent chase of the Australian Navy to intervene boat people, denying refugees from war zones with direct involvement of the ADF asylum, this is nothing than sales talk.
Trafficker make their money of the misery of refugees, a fate increased by the growing unwillingness of the 'western', 'civilized' world to grant asylum. The idea to remove misery of a population by starting a war on their territory has failed most of the time, it has failed in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen. If a government 'cares' enough about people in distant countries, they might as well spend their money to invite them than to send their troops to destroy their lifelyhoods, and prevent them from escaping the war zone.
It's disappointing to see how the quality of SBS deteriorates. State TV in a corporatist state. Feeding the fear of others in the least densely populated industrialised nation on this planet is a shocking turn from journalism as control instance for the current powers towards a propaganda platform.
SBS secured the exclusive interview rights to an alleged people smuggler who used to live in Indonesia. Insight and SBS World News quote this 'expert' with statements Mr. Howard would happily comment with 'I told you so'.
According to the alleged trafficker, Australia is seen as a 'soft target', with processing done within 3 to 4 months, a road straight to citizenship and freebies galore. As Australia seems to keep the image of a Human Right respecting nation, although they got told off for the intervention, the permanent chase of the Australian Navy to intervene boat people, denying refugees from war zones with direct involvement of the ADF asylum, this is nothing than sales talk.
Trafficker make their money of the misery of refugees, a fate increased by the growing unwillingness of the 'western', 'civilized' world to grant asylum. The idea to remove misery of a population by starting a war on their territory has failed most of the time, it has failed in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen. If a government 'cares' enough about people in distant countries, they might as well spend their money to invite them than to send their troops to destroy their lifelyhoods, and prevent them from escaping the war zone.
It's disappointing to see how the quality of SBS deteriorates. State TV in a corporatist state. Feeding the fear of others in the least densely populated industrialised nation on this planet is a shocking turn from journalism as control instance for the current powers towards a propaganda platform.
Information seems to be the biggest enemy of the current government. That's why it's based purely on trust, but not on accountability. Just ask the Black Saturday survivors how many promises this government kept. Ask anyone about the promises for Intervention, Offshore processing, health reform, education reform, tax reform, internet censorship, privatisation of public goods and services, improvement of infrastructure, child care or public transport reliability since privatization.
If a trafficker claims it's Australias open door policy that makes people leave their home we can easily forget about those killed when they were sent home, drowned on the way here, or live in an active warzone. I would vote to give Australia to the Australians, but hardly anyone would suspect that I mean the about 400 Aboriginal people that called their home before the declaration of 'Terra nullis' started an ongoing genocide.
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